The Venezuelan toletero Miguel Goatherd arrived at the 500 home runs on Sunday, becoming the sixth pelotero born outside the United States in obtaining it in MLB. Reactions to the networks were not long in coming.
From A-Rod, Big Papi and Albert Pujols, to Jim Thome, Ronald Acuña and Salvador Pérez, the world of baseball immediately celebrated Cabrera’s new feat.
Welcome to the 500 Club, Miggy! pic.twitter.com/oFT8nGre16
– Detroit Tigers (@tigers) August 22, 2021
Admiration, respect and joy. 🤝😀 Miggy fans congratulate him on his 500 home runs in #LasMayores. ⚾️🇻🇪 pic.twitter.com/QG1AYuTpnx
– LasMayores (@LasMayores) August 22, 2021
From Torii, Nick, JV, Gardy, Leyland and all your colleagues:
Congratulations Miggy! pic.twitter.com/BYtBqvZLOo
– Detroit Tigers (@tigers) August 22, 2021
Congratulations @MiguelCabrera 500 🎊 # 500
– Justin Verlander (@JustinVerlander) August 22, 2021
The Venezuelan connected the historic volleyball in the sixth inning to Steven Matz of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Cabrera, the 28th player to achieve this figure, joined Pujols and David Ortiz himself, as well as Rafael Palmeiro, Manny Ramírez and Sammy Sosa, as the only players not born on American soil to achieve this.
It took 31 laps to bat between his 499 and 500 home runs, the third longest wait according to ESPN data. Only Jimmie Foxx (61) and Harmon Killebrew (43) had to wait any longer.
Cabrera has won four batting titles in his career, tied with Ted Williams by the most at the 500 HR club (pending inclusion of Black League statistics). 362 of Cabrera’s 500 homers have arrived with the Tigers, the third-highest number in the team’s history.